With gratitude to Dan Bernardo

Please join me in expressing heartfelt gratitude to Dan Bernardo for a job well done as he prepares to step down as our provost and executive vice president.

Serving as provost at a complex, far-flung educational enterprise is a demanding—and often daunting—task. Dan has served the University with great distinction in this role for more than 5 years, providing selfless leadership while investing himself 110 percent in advancing the University’s priorities.

Dan’s accomplishments as WSU dean, vice president, provost, and interim president are wide ranging and too numerous to fully list here. But his vision, initiative, and commitment are directly responsible for a number of University achievements, including record student enrollment, record numbers of underrepresented and first-generation students, and record faculty productivity.

Under Dan’s watch, our freshman retention rate has climbed. And, of the 6 commendations the University received from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities during the recent reaccreditation process, at least 3 can be attributed to Dan’s dedication to providing our students with the best experience possible: commendations for effective initiatives to improve student access and success, our assessment of student learning outcomes, and our plans to revitalize classrooms to serve today’s learners.

From a personal standpoint, I will always be grateful to Dan for his partnership beginning with the day I arrived in Pullman 2 ½ years ago. I am pleased that he will stay on as provost while we conduct a national search for his successor. I also look forward to future collaborations down the road as Dan takes on special projects of strategic importance to the University.

Dan, I and the rest of the WSU community salute you. Washington State University is poised for tremendous opportunities in the future, thanks in no small measure to your tireless efforts.